Lesson Ideas

Wanna be an absolute winner in math class? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby introduce you to the concept of absolute value. First you’ll find out the difference between positive and negative integers and what words indicate each. You’ll also discover why distances can never be negative, and what expression is used to denote such a value instead. Plus, see how a number line can help you find a number’s absolute value and find out what two little bars on each side of the number mean. We’re absolutely sure you’ll learn a ton from this movie!

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 4-6, students use BrainPOP resources (including a free online math game) to explore coordinate grids and planes. This lesson plan is aligned to Common Core State Standards. See more »

In these lesson ideas which are adaptable for grades 3-8, students play an online math game to practice identifying, comparing, and ordering fractions on a number line. This lesson plan is aligned to Common Core State Standards. See more »

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 3-12, students work collaboratively to research selected math skills. Students then create, play, and assess a math game that is designed to apply and reinforce their selected math concept. This lesson plan is aligned to Common Core State Standards. See more »

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Recent Absolute Value Quizzes

Note: Mixer quizzes are only available to school-wide BrainPOP subscribers.

Academic Standards

Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero, elevation above/below sea level, credits/debits, positive/negative electric charge); use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.6a

Recognize opposite signs of numbers as indicating locations on opposite sides of 0 on the number line; recognize that the opposite of the opposite of a number is the number itself, e.g., –(–3) = 3, and that 0 is its own opposite.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.6c

Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.7a

Interpret statements of inequality as statements about the relative position of two numbers on a number line diagram. For example, interpret –3 > –7 as a statement that –3 is located to the right of –7 on a number line oriented from left to right.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.7d

Distinguish comparisons of absolute value from statements about order. For example, recognize that an account balance less than –30 dollars represents a debt greater than 30 dollars.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.8

Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate.

Grade: 07

CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.1b

Understand p + q as the number located a distance |q| from p, in the positive or negative direction depending on whether q is positive or negative. Show that a number and its opposite have a sum of 0 (are additive inverses). Interpret sums of rational numbers by describing real-world contexts.

Grade: 07

CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.1a

Describe situations in which opposite quantities combine to make 0. For example, a hydrogen atom has 0 charge because its two constituents are oppositely charged.

Grade: 07

CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.1c

Understand subtraction of rational numbers as adding the additive inverse, p – q = p + (–q). Show that the distance between two rational numbers on the number line is the absolute value of their difference, and apply this principle in real-world contexts.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.7c

Understand the absolute value of a rational number as its distance from 0 on the number line; interpret absolute value as magnitude for a positive or negative quantity in a real-world situation. For example, for an account balance of –30 dollars, write |–30| = 30 to describe the size of the debt in dollars.